Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 55 - PUBLIC SAFETY
Part III - Motor Vehicles
Chapter 11 - Vehicle Safety Equipment
Subchapter A - Motorcycle Helmets
Section III-1117 - Penetration Test

A. The penetration test shall be conducted by dropping the penetration test striker in guided free fall, with its axis aligned vertically, onto the outer surface of the complete helmet, when mounted as specified in §1114, at any point above the test line, described in §1114. B except on a fastener or other rigid projection.

B. Two penetration blows shall be applied at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) apart, and at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) from the centers of any impacts applied during the impact attenuation test.

C. The application of the two penetration blows, specified in §1117 B, shall start at two minutes and be completed by 4 minutes, after removal of the helmet from the conditioning environment.

D. The height of the guided free fall shall be 118.1 inches (3 m), as measured from the striker point to the impact point on the outer surface of the test helmet.

E. The contactable surface of the penetration test headform shall be constructed of a metal or metallic alloy having a Brinell hardness number no greater than 55, which will permit ready detection should contact by the striker occur. The surface shall be refinished if necessary before each penetration test blow to permit detection of contact by the striker.

F. The weight of the penetration striker shall be 6 pounds, 10 ounces (3 kg).

G. The point of the striker shall have an included angle of 60 degrees, a cone height of 1.5 inches (3.8 cm), a tip radius of 0.02 inch (standard 0.5 millimeter radius) and a minimum hardness of 60 Rockwell, C scale.

H. The rigid mount for the penetration test headform shall be as described in §1116 J